Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher Gramiccioni (left) holds a press conference Tuesday, January 2, 2017, in Freehold, NJ, with First Assistant Prosecutor Lori Linskey and Chief of Detectives John G. McCabe Jr., concerning the hearing for the 16-year-old who allegedly killed four people in Long Branch.(Photo: Thomas P. Costello)Buy Photo

FREEHOLD - The Monmouth County prosecutor said Tuesday a third person escaped the New Year's Eve shooting spree that claimed four lives, a 16-year-old’s parents, sister and a family friend in Long Branch.

And an initial hearing for the accused juvenile, postponed from Tuesday to Wednesday morning, will remain closed to the public, a county assignment judge ruled.

The alleged killer is Scott Kologi.

Assignment Judge Lisa P. Thornton denied a motion by the Asbury Park Press and The Star-Ledger to attend a hearing in the homicides of 44-year-old Steven Kologi, 42-year-old Linda Kologi, 18-year-old Brittany Kologi and 70-year-old Mary Schulz.The Kologis all lived in the Long Branch home, while Schulz was a resident of Ocean Township.

As Thornton heard arguments from the Press, prosecutors and public defenders late Tuesday afternoon, Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher Gramiccioni provided more details on the slayings that resulted in the apprehension of Scott Kologi, who is being held at the Middlesex County Juvenile Detention Center:

The manner of death for the four victims was multiple gunshot wounds, with each of the shots fired at close range.

The weapon, a Century Arms semi-automatic rifle, had a magazine that held 15 7.62 mm rounds. The model is a c39v2, an AK-style rifle that the American Shooting Journal called the "American AK-47."

The rifle was "lawfully acquired by someone who resided in that home," Gramiccioni said, correcting an earlier statement in which the gun was said to be registered.

Gramiccioni said he has no reason to believe the gun owner is "criminally culpable."

Authorities originally reported that two individuals escaped, Scott Kologi's brother and grandfather. But Gramiccioni said a third person, a woman in her 20s who was an acquaintance of one relative, was also in the home when the shootings occurred and managed to leave uninjured. The brother was identified by neighbors and friends as 20-year-old Steven Kologi Jr. and the grandfather as 66-year-old Adrian Kologi.

Gramiccioni said the three survivors left after hearing gunshots.

One of the survivors called 911.

Police arrived within a minute.

A dog and several cats were in the home and were not injured.

“We’re still working toward identifying a motive," Gramiccioni said.

Asked if anyone could have prevented the attack, Gramiccioni said, “We think this was fairly sudden and quick.”

The victims were not all in the same room when the shootings occurred, he said.

Neighbors told the Asbury Park Press the alleged killer teenager was home-schooled by his mother. But Gramiccioni said he was enrolled in a school, declining to name it.

Scott Kologi is facing four counts of murder and possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose.

Brittany Kologi was a first-year student at Stockton University, a public school in Galloway, the president of Stockton said Tuesday. She was studying health sciences.

"Brittany was proud to attend Stockton and we are grateful she chose to enroll here," Stockton University President Harvey Kesselman said in a statement. "As we offer our condolences, thoughts and prayers to Brittany’s loved ones and friends, collectively we mourn her passing as a member of our Stockton community."

Parents Steven and Linda Kologi were loving, hardworking and supportive parents, according to friends and neighbors. The couple had three children, Brittany, Steven Jr. and Scott. Linda Kologi had another son from a previous relationship, 25-year-old Jonathan Ruiz, according to Ruiz’s aunt, Maria Ruiz.

Mary Schulz – or Mary Ann, as she was also known, a person close to the family said, "was really quite a kind and gentle person."

She along with the other victims were remembered in a vigil Tuesday night at Franklin Lake Park in West Long Branch.

Authorities said she was the grandfather's girlfriend.

Juvenile court cases are usually closed to the public, but they are sometimes opened to the media in extraordinary cases. The initial hearing is a retention hearing, a court proceeding specifically for juveniles.

"This case, in the brief period since the incident, has already been the subject of widespread attention, including a public statement by the Monmouth County Prosecutor," Press attorney Thomas J. Cafferty of the Newark firm Gibbons PC wrote in a motion to gain access to the hearing.

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Amber Hernandez (left), 18, and Janiyah Gilliard, 18, hold each other close as they remember their friend Brittany Kologi during a candlelight vigil held at Franklin Lake Park in West Long Branch Tuesday evening, January 2, 2017. Brittany, along with her mother, father and a family friend were allegedly killed by her 16-year-old brother in a New Year’s Eve shooting in Long Branch. Thomas P. Costello

Friends gather for a candlelight vigil held at Franklin Lake Park in West Long Branch Tuesday evening, January 2, 2017, to remember the Kologi family members and Mary Schulz killed on New Year’s Eve in Long Branch. Thomas P. Costello

Rebecca Adekunle (left), 19, and Anabella Rodriguez, 18, smiles as they remember their friend Brittany Kologi during a candlelight vigil held at Franklin Lake Park in West Long Branch Tuesday evening, January 2, 2017. Brittany, along with her mother, father and a family friend were allegedly killed by her 16-year-old brother in a New Year’s Eve shooting in Long Branch. Thomas P. Costello

A candlelight vigil was held at Franklin Lake Park in West Long Branch Tuesday evening, January 2, 2017, remembering three members of the Kologi family and Mary Schulz who were killed in a New Year’s Eve shooting in Long Branch. Thomas P. Costello

A candlelight vigil was held at Franklin Lake Park in West Long Branch Tuesday evening, January 2, 2017, remembering three members of the Kologi family and Mary Schulz who were killed in a New Year’s Eve shooting in Long Branch. Thomas P. Costello

A candlelight vigil was held at Franklin Lake Park in West Long Branch Tuesday evening, January 2, 2017, remembering three members of the Kologi family and Mary Schulz who were killed in a New Year’s Eve shooting in Long Branch. Thomas P. Costello

People gather during a candlelight vigil held at Franklin Lake Park in West Long Branch Tuesday evening, January 2, 2017, remembering three members of the Kologi family and Mary Schulz who were killed in a New Year’s Eve shooting in Long Branch. Thomas P. Costello

A candlelight vigil was held at Franklin Lake Park in West Long Branch Tuesday evening, January 2, 2017, remembering three members of the Kologi family and Mary Schulz who were killed in a New Year’s Eve shooting in Long Branch. Thomas P. Costello

People relive good memories during a candlelight vigil held at Franklin Lake Park in West Long Branch Tuesday evening, January 2, 2017, remembering three members of the Kologi family and Mary Schulz who were killed in a New Year’s Eve shooting in Long Branch. Thomas P. Costello

A candlelight vigil was held at Franklin Lake Park in West Long Branch Tuesday evening, January 2, 2017, remembering three members of the Kologi family and Mary Schulz who were killed in a New Year’s Eve shooting in Long Branch. Thomas P. Costello

People gather during a candlelight vigil held at Franklin Lake Park in West Long Branch Tuesday evening, January 2, 2017, remembering three members of the Kologi family and Mary Schulz who were killed in a New Year’s Eve shooting in Long Branch. Thomas P. Costello

Amber Hernandez (left), 18, and Janiyah Gilliard, 18, remember their friend Brittany Kologi during a candlelight vigil held at Franklin Lake Park in West Long Branch Tuesday evening, January 2, 2017. Brittany, along with her mother, father and a family friend were allegedly killed by her 16-year-old brother in a New Year’s Eve shooting in Long Branch. Thomas P. Costello

Mary Ann Schulz is shown in a photo that was displayed during a candlelight vigil held at Franklin Lake Park in West Long Branch Tuesday evening, January 2, 2017. She was killed along with three members of the Kologi family in a New Year’s Eve shooting in Long Branch. Thomas P. Costello

Mike Schulz, brother of murder victim Mary Schulz, thanks people for turning out for a candlelight vigil held at Franklin Lake Park in West Long Branch Tuesday evening, January 2, 2017, to remember his sister and the Kologi family members who were killed in Long Branch on New Year’s Eve. At right is Darlene Carfi. Thomas P. Costello

Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher Gramiccioni (center) holds a press conference Tuesday, January 2, 2017, in Freehold, NJ, with First Assistant Prosecutor Lori Linskey and Chief of Detectives John G. McCabe Jr., concerning the hearing for the 16-year-old who allegedly killed four people in Long Branch. Thomas P. Costello

Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher Gramiccioni pauses during a press conference Tuesday, January 2, 2017, in Freehold, NJ, concerning the hearing for the 16-year-old who allegedly killed four people in Long Branch. Thomas P. Costello

Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher Gramiccioni holds a press conference Tuesday, January 2, 2017, in Freehold, NJ, concerning the hearing for the 16-year-old who allegedly killed four people in Long Branch. Thomas P. Costello

Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher Gramiccioni (left) holds a press conference Tuesday, January 2, 2017, in Freehold, NJ, with First Assistant Prosecutor Lori Linskey and Chief of Detectives John G. McCabe Jr., concerning the hearing for the 16-year-old who allegedly killed four people in Long Branch. Thomas P. Costello

One of the bodies is removed Monday from a Wall Street home in Long Branch, where three family members and a friend were killed. The son of two of the victims, 16-year-old Scott Kologi, is accused of committing the New Year's Eve murders. Thomas P. Costello/staff photographer

An investigator is shown outside the Wall Street home in Long Branch on Monday morning. Three family members and a friend allegedly were killed by a 16-year-old boy on New Year's Eve. Thomas P. Costello

"The charges are among the most severe that can be filed in the criminal justice system," Cafferty continued. "Access to the proceedings will serve as a check on the fairness of those proceedings, promote the honesty of the judiciary and provide insight and education to the public about the judicial system."

Attorney Lauren James-Weir, also with Gibbons PC, represented the Press before Thornton. She argued in the hearing that the prosecutor’s office had already released plenty of information and that the teen’s attorney had not enumerated any “specific harm” that would result from reporters attending a retention hearing.

Both a public defender and assistant prosecutor argued against the Press’ motion.

The case may very well end up in adult court, the teen’s public defender, Emeka Nkwuo, wrote in a brief. If so, his client would have to undergo evaluation by an expert.

“The publicity of the proceedings would undermine [the teen’s] confidence in the expert,” Nkwou wrote. “The expert report will contain school records, and mental health records which are not ordinarily made public.”

Prosecutors opposed letting reporters into the proceedings on the grounds that family members who had survived the attack would not want the press there.

“They have been traumatized and continue to suffer,” Assistant Prosecutor Mary R. Juliano wrote. “They are opposed to opening these proceedings to the press and maintain same would cause them additional psychological harm.”

Barbara Suppa, director of the prosecutor’s office’s Family Division, reiterated that argument in court, and said that the proceedings were “not a matter for the public to have access to.”

Thornton ruled that it was in the teen’s and the public’s best interests to bar the media from the retention hearing.

Although the news media are barred from attending the retention hearing, the hearing is scheduled for Wednesday at 11 a.m. It was originally slated to be Tuesday, but the Press' motion delayed the hearing.

The next step in the case is a probable cause hearing that must occur within 48 hours of the retention hearing. The Prosecutor's Office must file a motion to waive him up to adult court must be made within 60 days of him being taken into custody, Gramiccioni said.